Rake



C. F. HESS Dec. 8, 1942. i

RAKE

VFiled June 5, 1941A Ill:

. {willi/ll lll; illflili 'wwwa Patented Dec. S, 1942 UNITEo STATES PAT-ENT,

oFFlcs d 5 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in rakes for raking leaves, trash, lawns, and -for similar purposes, and one of the objects of the same is to provide an improved light, simple, inexpensive and eicient rake in which any one or more of the teeth may be readily removed and replaced by another tooth without interfering with or detaching any of the other teeth from the rake head. Y

A further object is to provide an improved r'ake of this character in which the teeth are so shaped as to prevent injury to the lawn.

A still further object is to provide an improved form of tooth and improved means for fastening or securing the same to the head or body of the rake.

To the attainment of these ends and the accomplishment of other new and useful objects as will appear, the invention consists in the features of novelty in substantially the construction, combination and arrangement of the several parts hereinafter more fully described and claimed and shown in the accompanying drawing illustrating this invention, and in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of a rake of this character constructed in accordance with the principles of this invention.

Figure 2 is an end elevation of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a detail sectional view taken on line 3-3 Figure 1, on an enlarged scale.

Figure 4 is an elevation of a portion of the rake taken from the rear face thereof.

Figure 5 is a detail sectional view taken on line 5-5 Figure 4, on an enlarged scale.

Figure 6 is a detail perspective View of a portion of the head plate showing the manner of attaching or detaching the tooth therefrom.

Figure 7 is a detail perspective view of a portion of the tooth fastening bar.

Figure 8 is a detail perspective View of the forward or free end of one of the teeth.

Figure 9 is a detail perspective view of a portionL of a tooth of a modified form.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the

siderably short of the opposite edge of the plate.

1li-desired, a reinforcing bar I4 may be secured their pivots but will slots I5. 1

'the .plate is- -bent back upon itself, as at Il, to form a seat I2 and the edge I3 of the portion II terminates connais, w-

to one edge of the plate by rolling a portion of the plate thereover.

A number of slots I5 are provided in the portion II of the plate and these slots open through the edge I3, the slots being spaced from each other in directions lengthwise of the plate. tions of the plate are struck out; as at I 6, to form openings I'I and these struck out portions I6 form arches extending transversely of the longitudinal dimension of the plate so as to provide openings through the sides of the struck out'portions.

These openings thus Aformed are preferably spaced for a substantial A distance beyond the edge I3 of the portion II of the plate and are arranged in cooperating pairs.

AThe teeth of the rake are separate from each other and each tooth I8 is formed of resilient material bent into asubstantially U shaped configuration with a rounded extremity I9. The extremities of the sides of each tooth are de- `iiected laterally, as at 2D and the spacebetween adjacent openings II is lessl than the normal distance between the extremities of the sides of the tooth so that in order to attach the tooth to the Iplate IIL-it is necessary to force the extremities of the side members of the tooth toward each other into the position shown in full-lines in Figure 6. The tooth may then be attached to the plate Ill by positioning the laterally deflected por.- tions 20 between the -cooperating arch shaped portion I6 so that when pressure is released upon the sides of the tooth the normal Ytendency of the resiliency of the material of which the tooth is constructed will separate the extremities and cause the deflected portions 20 to Vengageunder the arch shaped portion I6.

- In this position the tooth may-'be' swung about the extremities 20as pivots and into .a position that each of the sides of the tooth will enter one of the slots I5 in the bent backportionII of the plate I0. 1

. The numeral 2I designates a toothv fastening bar and this bar, when the teeth are inthe position as shown in Figures 3 and 6, may be placed in the' seat, I2 behindthe beritback'portion vII to extend across the teeth and thereby not'onlyY hold the teeth against swinging movement about also form-a closurefor the ThisY fastening bar or plate .-2I `may-be secured 1n posit1on in any desired or suitable manner Vsuch as by' means iof fastening devices orfscre`ws122Vv Y passing through suitable openings v23 in the bark `and engaging lin suitable Vopenings 24 :in -the Por- With this construction it will be manifest that should any one of the teeth :become broken or damaged, it can be readily removed and replaced by another tooth, by first removing the fastening devices 22 of the fastening bar 2| and then removing the bar itself, after which the tooth may be swung from the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 6 to the position shown in full lines, and the pivoted extremities of the side members of the tooth forced towards each other so as to pass from under or disengage the arch shaped portion I6 on the plate I0.

The forward extremity of each of the teeth is preferably deflected laterally, as at 25, and the teeth may be of any desired length.

In Figure 9 there is shown a modified form of tooth in which there is provided in each of the side members 26 a coil 2l, and the extremities of the side members 26 are also deflected laterally as at 28 so that they may be detachably secured f or connected to the plate I0.

Any suitable means may be provided for securing a handle 29 to the head plate I0, such as by means of a socket or ferrule 30 which is preferably of tubular configuration and is provided with a head 3| at one end thereof. Projecting from the head are any desired number of earsY or lugs 32 which are adapted to be inserted into openings 33 in the head plate l0 (see particularly Figure and are then flanged down upon the plate l0.

If desired, the tubular portion of the socket maybe provided with a notch or recess 34 to receive the reinforced edge of the plate I0.

The end of the handle 29 is inserted in the socket 30 and may be secured against detachment therefrom in any suitable manner such as by means of a fastening screw or member 35.

With this improved construction it will be manifest that there will be provided a very light and efficient rake, the teeth of which are resilient and are so shaped that the free extremities thereof will not injurethe lawn or grass. At the same time the teeth are attached to the head or plate l0 in such a manner that any one or more of them may be removed without interfering with the other teeth, and a new tooth inserted.

While the preferred formsof the invention are herein shown and described, it is to be understood vthat various changes may be made in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, within the scope of the claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed as new is:

1. A rake embodying a head member comparatively long with respect to its width, one edge of Whichis bent back upon itself into a plane substantially parallel with the body portion to form a channel, the edge of said bent-back portion terminating considerably short of the other edge of said body, therebeing spaced openings in said bent-back portion extending through the free edge thereof and also through the bottom. of said channel, there being spaced openings in said body spaced from the free edge of said bent-back portion, substantially U-shaped tines, the free extremities of the sides of which are deflected laterally and adapted to enter the last said openings to hingedly connect the tines to said body, each side of said tines beingsea-ted inv and passing through one of the openings in said bent-back portion, a fastening member of substantial width seated in said channel between one face of the tines and the adjacent face of said bent-back portion to hold the tines firmly against said body portion, and to form a closure for the openings in said bent-back portion, and means for releasably securing said fastening member in position.

2. A rake embodying a head member comparatively long with respect to its width, one edge of which is bent back upon itself into a plane substantially parallel with the body portion to form a channel, the edge of said bent-back portion terminating considerably short of the other edge of said body, there being spaced openings in said bent-back portion extending through the free edge thereof and also through the bottom of the channel, there being spaced openings in said body intermediate the free edge of said bentback portion and the said other edge of the body, substantially U-shaped tines formed of resilientl material, the free extremities of the sides of which are deflected laterally to enter the last said openings to hingedly connect the tines to said body, the distance between the adjacent last said openings being less than the normal distance of the deflected extremities of the sides of said tines, whereby the said extremities must be sprung into their respective openings, each side of the tines being seated in and passing through one of the openings in said bent-back portion, and removable fastening means disposed between one face of the tines and the adjacent face of said bent-back portion to hold the ytines against the face of said body.

3. A rake embodying a head memberv comparatively long with respect to its width, one edge of which is bent back upon itself into a plane substantially parallel with the body portion to form a channel, the edge of said bent-,back portion terminating considerably short of the other edge of said body, there being spaced openings in saidbent-back portion extending through the free edge thereof and also through the bottom of the channel, there being spaced openings in said body formedv by striking out portions of the body and disposed intermediate the free edge of said bent-back portion and; the said other edge of the body, substantially U-shaped tines formed of resilient material, the free extremities of the sides of which are defiected laterally to enter the last said openings to hingedly connect the tines to saidV body, the distance between the adjacent last said openings being less than the normal distance of the deected extremities of the sides of said tines, whereby the said extremities must be sprung into their respective openings, each side of the tines being seated in and passing through one of the openings in said bentfback portion, and removable fastening means disposedbetween one face of the tines and the adjacentface of said bentback portion to holdthe tines against the face of said body. 1

4. A rake embodying a head rmember comparatively long with respect to its width, one edge of which is bent back upon itself into" a plane substantially parallel with the -body portion to form a channel, the edge of said bentback portion terminating considerablyshort of the other edge of said body,l there being spaced openings in said bent-back portion extending through the free edge. thereof and also through the bottom of the channel, there being spaced openings in saidbodyintermedate the free edge of saidbent-back portion and the saidivother edge of the body, substantially Usha1f ed4 tines for-med ffresilient material, the freepextremities l ofthe sidesj of whichfare deflected laterally-to enter the last said openingsto hingedlyconnect the tines to said body, the distance between the adjacent last said openings being less than the normal distance of the deflected extremities of the sides of said tines, whereby the said eX- tremities must be sprung into their respective openings, each side of the tines being seated in and passing throughV one of the openings in said bent-back portion, and removable fastening means disposed between one face of the tines and the adjacent face of said bent-back portion to hold the tines against the face of said body, the sides of said tines intermediate their free ends and the adjacent edge of said body, and in proximity to the last said edge being formed into loops to impart further resiliency to the tines.

5. A rake embodying a head member comparatively long With respect to its Width, one edge of which is bent back upon itself into a plane substantially parallel with the body portion to form a channel, the edge of said bentback portion terminating considerably short of the other edge of said body, there being spaced openings in said bent-back portion extending through the free edge thereof and also through the bottom of said channel, there being spaced openings in said body spaced from the free edge of said bent-back portion, substantially U-shaped tines, the free extremities of the sides of which are deected laterally and adapted to enter the last said openings to hingedly connect the tines to said body, each side of said tines being seated in and passing through one of the openings in said bent-back portion, a fastening member of substantial Width seated in said channel between one face of the tines and the adjacent face of said bent-back portion to hold the tines firmly against said body portion, and to form a closure for the openings in said bent-back portion, means for releasably securing said fastening member in position, and a re-eniorcing mem-ber extending along and secured to the said other side of said body.

CHRISTIAN F. HESS. 

